Lone Ranger Teaser Poster Takes A Cue From Batman

The images and bits of footage we've seen from Gore Verbinski's The Lone Ranger so far have focused on an old-timey Western feel, making the action-adventure film look more like a John Ford classic than something from the guy who brought you Pirates of the Caribbean films. But with the film's first teaser poster, which Disney sent over today, they're going for an entirely different aesthetic-- something that looks like a gritty vigilante story more than anything. Take a look below.

The symbol of the crow on the wood evokes the bird that Johnny Depp wears on his head as Tonto in the film, but it inevitably reminds me of The Dark Knight Rises, where supporters of Batman would draw the Bat signal on walls. It seems impossible that Disney isn't aware of the connection, and given what a big hit The Dark Knight Rises was, you can't blame them for snagging the idea. The poster's focus on Tonto is also a little strange given that, well, the film is called The Lone Ranger, but Armie Hammer's take on the mask-wearing character is nowhere to be found, aside from his name at the top of the poster and the tagline "Never Take Off The Mask."

But the poster is striking, and I like to see them going for something a little more different from the usual golden-hued, Photoshopped mess you might expect. If you want to see more from The Lone Ranger, you're in luck-- the film's first trailer will arrive online tomorrow at 7 am Pacific Time on Apple. We'll have it for you here, of course, as soon as it arrives. The Lone Ranger itself comes to theaters July 3 next year, and to see some brand-new high-res images from the film, click here.